A Shur'tugal Christmas
by InheritedMadness
Summary: Christmas doesn't exist in Alagaesia, or does it? The magic of being together with the people you know and love. Set 500 years after the Great war. Orik, Nasuada, Eragon, Arya, Saphira, Firnen, Thorn, even a bit of Angela.*HIATUS!*
1. Murtagh and Thorn

**A/N: It doesn't matter when you're reading this. This story is about the magic of Christmas. I know it doesn't exist in Alagaesia, but the magic is still there. Now... I just gotta get that tree up.**

**This is about 500 years after the great war.**

**Chapter 1**

Eragon awoke to a gray dawn. He silently slipped out of bed and walked over to the window. A sleeping New Vroengard sat below. Him. No lights glowing in Tarus' window. No Eulyn practicing her magic in her room. He heard a rustling of bedsheets behind him, and Arya walked up to him. She lightly kissed him on the cheek, and together they looked on the window. The sun rose slowly over the horizon. For an eternity, they watched. Then a shape came into existence. A red speck. It grew larger and larger until it blotted out the sun.

_Thorn! Murtagh!_ Eragon mentally shouted.

Murtagh replied with a simple_ Down._

Both of them ran to get dressed. A moment later they were at the stairs. Eragon was dressed in a blue shirt, simple pants, and some leather boots. Arya, to his surprise, wore a sparkling emerald dress. They ran down the stairs, tripping over each other to get to the bottom. At the bottom, Eragon paused. They were in the great hall, which had been built for the senior riders a hundred or so years before. The ceiling was taller than any dragon so as to be able to fit Saphira and Firnen inside.

Eragon could hear the joyful roars of the dragons outside. _What would he find outside? Would Murtagh be the helpful brother he once knew? What if Murtagh hated him? _All these questions hit him in the few second that he paused.

"We'll be fine, Eragon" Arya reassured, sensing his distress. Eragon nodded once in acknowledgement and continued toward the door, his face a hard mask blocking out emotion. The door opened to reveal a tired, but excited looking man. His eyes twinkled with adventure. Murtagh was changed. All his hate and anger had left him.

"Murtagh. It's been so long..." a faraway look entered Eragon's eyes as he remembered.

_Murtagh with a determined look in his eyes as he cut down men left and right in the Battle of Farthen Dur. Murtagh saving him from the Ra'zac. Murtagh letting him go in the Battle of the Burning Plains. And Murtagh leaving for the North, tears in his eyes as they said a final goodbye. That was the last time he saw Murtagh._

"Are you coming? I mean to the reunion. I mean will you come to a reunion at my castle in the North? Nasuada, Orik, even Angela and Solembum are coming."Murtagh stammered.

"How can we disagree then?"Arya laughed.

"She means we're too busy."Eragon corrected hastily. Arya shot him a murderous glare. "Okay, we'll come."he sighed.

Arya grabbed him by the legs, pulling him off his feet. The air whooshed out of him as he hit the ground. Then she proceeded to drag him up the stairs. It took her but a few seconds to pull him to the top. He moaned, Arya laughed, her voice like chimed in the wind.

"Waise Heill." he muttered to himself. Slowly his bruises faded. "What was that for?" he angrily shouted."

"For fun!" then she ran off to pack leaving Eragon fuming.

When Eragon walked in, he saw a large pile of clothes on the floor, more landing on top, and Arya zipping around emptying their closets. She paid no attention to him. Eragon simply sighed and began packing.


	2. Taking Flight

**A/N:Hate me for this short chapter? Then..._REVIEW!PLEASE?_** **XD I hope you are reading this AND you are nice enough to review. Enjoy! (Merry Xmas!)**

**Chapter 2**

An hour later they walked outside to find Thorn and Murtagh asleep. Thorn's wing was draped like a curtain over Murtagh, and Eragon smiled. Saphira and Firnen lay side by side snoring. Each time one of them snored, a jet of fire shot from their nostrils. The snow on the ground had already melted, and the ground below was scorched black. Blodhgarm came running up to them.

"You are leaving?"

"Back to Alagaesia."Eragon muttered. Blodhgarm calmly walked away. Murtagh stirred.

"Oh. Finally." was all he said as they fastened their saddlebags to the now awake Saphira and Firnen. Soon they were in the sky.

Eragon had never felt as exhilarated. Riding Saphira, all his troubles were gone, swept away by the wind. He whooped with joy. He hadn't been this happy and excited since he had killed Galbatorix. Not even when Arya had agreed to join him in New Vroengard.

Arya's hair was like the trail of a shooting star, blown back by the powerful wind. She was happy.

As the three riders soared overhead, the trees whispered a song of joy. All who listened cried from happiness. Birds burst into song, and men arguing paused to listen.. It was the song of the return. The return of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular.

**A/N: Don't you hate me for doing such a short chappie? I hate it too. SO... you'd better review or you're gonna get another one or none at all! Hmph!**


	3. The Begining of A Game

**A/N:Anyway, this is chapter 3. Thank you Restrained Freedom for the er...'encouraging' Review. Well at least someone is reading this. **

**INHERITANCE MANIAC:YOU WILL REVIEW OR I WILL TAKE OVER YOUR MIND!**

**Eragon: My mind? OhnoImgonnadie!AHHHH!**

**Arya:Do you have a mind?XD**

**Eragon:Oh I forgot, I don't**

**INHERITANCE MANIAC:HMM...**

**Chapter 3**

They arrived in a cold and icebound land. A castle was visible through the pounding snowstorm. "Welcome back Eragon and Arya!"said a battered banner hanging above the doors. It may have once looked bright and festive, but now it was about to rip in half.

Under the banner stood three figures. When they got closer, Eragon saw Nasuada, Orik, an Angela. A lump of unusually tall snow stood by Angela. Eragon took just a moment to register that this 'lump of snow' was Solembum.

They were greeted warmly and led inside. Angela paused just a moment to yank the banner down. Orik explained that Murtagh had lengthened Nasuada's life, and that 'the gods' hadn't called for him just yet.

The main hall was quite large, much larger than theirs in New Vroengard. Murtagh quickly led them down a side passage and into a large room with a fireplace. Eragon, Arya, Orik, Murtagh, and Nasuada all seated themselves around a table in the middle. The fireplace lent them a surprising amount of heat. Angela sat off the the side and knit, Solembum lying on the floor next to her. Thorn, Saphira, and Firnen rested in a corner.

"Coffee, guys?Who wants coffee?"Murtagh asked.

"ME!"Orik screamed.

"Me!"Nasuada shouted in a high-pitched voice.

"Okay..."Arya said

"Why not?"Angela muttered. Saphira looked at Thorn and Firnen. They shrugged.(if a dragon could shrug.)

_Us too!_Saphira mentally shouted. Even Solembum agreed. Everybody looked at Eragon. He snored. And everybody laughed at him. At, the sound, Eragon's head shot up like an arrow.

"What?"he asked, very confused.

"Coffee? DO YOU WANT COFFEE?"Murtagh impatiently screamed.

"Umm... sure."Eragon responded. Then his head dropped and he resumed snoring.

"Ten barrels of coffee!"Murtagh shouted. Movement could be heard as servants rushed to execute his command.

XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD

After a few extra large cups of coffee , Eragon was feeling much better. In fact, nearly everyone drank a little too much coffee and was feeling slightly 'drunk'. That meant everone except Angela and Solembum, who were quietly sitting by the fire, sipping their coffee.

"Hey guysss. Do yaa wanna plaaay aaa gaamme?"Murtagh asked.

"Sure..."Orik responded.

"Weeeell...thhe gaaamee iss callleeed 'Truutth ooor Daaaaare'"Murtagh said.

"Oh no."Arya muttered.

**A/N: My drunk people sound really stupid don't they? I am so stupid. *Inheri punches himself in face* REVIEW**

**XD**

**INHERITANCEMANIAC:whats up guys.**

**Eragon:*snore**

**Arya:You made me sound stupid!**

**INHERITANCEMANIAC:Okkay...Okay...I'm sorry**

**Eragon:Huh?Wait...you made me fall asleep. I'm gonna murder you!**

**Arya:Lets kill him!**

**Eragon: Okey doke.**

**INHERITANCEMANIAC:*runs away while he still can***

**Eragon/Arya:*chase after him screaming obscenities.***


	4. Truth or Dare Part I

**A/N: I'm so sorry for long wait. Really! Don't kill me. Here is the next chapter. Truth or Dare.**

**INHERITANCEMANIAC:Hi guys!**

**Eragon: What were we doing again?**

**Arya: Get a memory you loser! We were about to kill him!**

**Eragon:*cries in corner***

**Arya: Now to kill you!**

**INHERITANCEMANIAC: aaAAHHHH! How about you kill my readers instead, huh?**

**Arya: *ignores***

**INHERITANCEMANIAC: *shrugs and keeps running***

"Truth or dare Thorn."Murtagh asked.

_Dare._ Thorn mentally replied. An evil glint appeared in Murtagh's eye.

"I dare you to wear this wreath"he pulled out a wreath of pine needles from under his chair, "For the rest of this game!" Thorn roared and blew a jet of fire at Murtagh. It passed around him harmlessly. Eragon, Arya, and Orik weren't so lucky. Eragon ended up with scorched pants and a somehow burning Brisingr, Arya some burning hair, and Orik a burning beard.

Thorn snatched the wreath away from Murtagh and and went back to Saphira and Firnen, this time wearing a wreath of pine boughs and a large red bow. Firnen laughed so hard that jets of fire shot out from his nostrils and burned the wreath to a pile of ashes. Everbody else 'awww'ed, including Firnen. Thorn shot him a dirty look.

_ I was **going** to thank you, but you just lost my thanks._ Thorn mentally told Firnen. Firnen just puffed a cloud of smoke and looked away with a regal expression, as if he were the king.

_I don't need your thanks._ Firnen replied.

_Hmph! _Everybody watched the silent showdown with confused expressions. At last they broke apart, and they began the game again.

"My turn! Orik!"Arya chose without hesitation. Orik shuddered, thinking about all the terrible things she could do to him.

"Dare."

"I dare you to..."Arya enjoyed the moment of suspense, "Drink a barrel of coffee, then climb up a ladder and place this bow on the ledge of the window,"she smiled devilishly "From the outside."

Orik gulped and placed a hand over his stomach. Not wanting to prolong the terrible thought anymore, Orik grabbed one of the two remaining barrels of coffee. He tilted his head back and drank half of it in one swig. Then, he dumped the other half down his gullet as well. Orik grabbed a large ladder by the wall and walked out. The crowd followed.

Once outside, Orik, shivering the whole time, lay the ladder against he wall and looked up to the distant windowsill. He gulped and began his ascent. They all knew of dwarves fear of height, and the blizzard certainly wouldn't help him defeat his fear. Halfway up, the storm threatened to blow him off with mighty gusts, but Orik continued climbing without fear. One hand held on to the ladder, and the other to the bow. After many gasps from the crowd, Orik reached the top. He proudly placed the bow on the small ledge below the window, and was just about to climb down when someone shouted.

"Good job, Orik!"Arya screamed over the blinding storm. All eyes turned to Arya, including Orik's. With a scream echoed around Alagaesia, Orik fell. And he landed with a 'thump'. Arya realized that people didn't land in snow with thumps in snow... everybody inched a little closer to take a look. Under Orik was Eragon. Apparently his wards had saved him from most of the impact force. He was actually snoring a little.

Eragon and Orik lay side by side. Angela was leaning over them. "Are they going to be okay?" Arya asked, looking over Angela's shoulder with concern.

"They're going to be fine, but they are in no condition to play Truth or Dare,"A look of genuine sadness took over her eyes, and Arya laughed. Eragon mumbled something about 'fish flavored snow' in his sleep. Angela quietly dragged Orik and Eragon out of the room. Then the game began once again.

_My turn!_ Saphira mentally shouted before anyone else could claim the turn. _I choose Firnen._ Firnen looked at her with a quizzical expression. Then he replied.

_Truth_. At first Saphira looked slightly dissapointed, then her face lit up with an idea. Firnen sensed it and tried to run, but accidentally tripped over Thorn's tail. He landed with an earth-shattering crunch. The explosion that followed decimated the table, left a giant crater in the ground, and destroyed everyone except Angela's chairs. The chair wobbled then broke, leaving Angela as well sitting in a pile of wood, dumbstruck. Everyone laughed. Firnen sat up and looked around dizzily.

"Slytha"Arya muttered. Saphira caught Firnen and set him on the ground.


End file.
